Games of Our Youth: Share the fun with the next (and next) generation

Remember the long summer days spent outdoors as a child? Riding bikes, exploring the neighborhood, bonding with buddies and doing a whole bunch of nothing — which meant everything at the time? And playing games… Oh, the games!

Today’s kids — meaning our grandkids — likely have no idea what that’s like, considering the screens and overscheduling that prevent children from just getting out and playing. This summer, give them a taste of old-fashioned fun by sharing some classic games of our youth. Here are a few to get you started (including rules and all for those with foggy memories).

Kick the Can(four or more players)

Materials: an empty can and a designated "jail" area.

The can is placed in the jail area. One player is chosen as "It" and another to kick the can. The kicker kicks the from the jail area. "It" must retrieve the can, place it back in the jail area, then cover his or her eyes and count out loud to a predetermined number while the other players run and hide. Once "It" completes counting, he or she seeks the other players. When "It" sees another player, he or she races to the can, picks it up, taps it three times and calls out the spotted player’s name and location. If "It" correctly names a player and location, that player must move to the jail area and stay there until "It" catches all the players in the same manner. Once all players are caught, the first one caught becomes "It" in the next round.

Goal: To not be caught.

Sardines(three or more players)

Materials: none

One player is designated as the first sardine. Just like in hide-and-seek, this player hides — while all the other players close their eyes and count to a predetermined number. When those seeking are done counting, they search for the "sardine." As each player finds the sardine, he or she quietly joins the original sardine, packing themselves together into even the tightest of spaces. (Hence the "Sardines" name.) The last player to find the hiding sardines is the first to hide on the next round.

Goal: To not be the last sardine… or the one giggling so loudly the hiding spot is revealed.

Red Light Green Light (three or more players)

Materials: none

One player is chosen as the "stoplight" and stands with his or her back to the other players. Other players line up side-by-side (arm’s length between) about 10 feet behind the stoplight.

The stoplight can say two phrases at his or her whim: "green light" or "red light." When he or she shouts "green light," the other players move as quickly as they can toward the stoplight. When the stoplight shouts "red light," other players must immediately stop as the stoplight turns around to catch those in motion. When players are caught moving during a "red light," they must return to the starting line.

Goal: Be the first player to tag the stoplight to become the stoplight in the next round.

Capture the Flag (10 or more players)

Materials: two flags; chalk or other markers to designate team boundaries and joint "jail" area.

Play area is divided into two even territories (say, back yard and front yard or inside and outside) and players divided into two even teams. Each team hides their flag somewhere in their territory. "Spies" from each team can spy in "enemy" territory for intel on where the flags are hidden, but if captured, they must go to "jail" and are freed only when tagged by a teammate. After the predetermined "flag hiding" time is up, players line up and one designated leader announces "Go!" All players then search for the opposing team’s flag. If an opposing team member tags players in the "enemy" territory, those tagged must go to jail and are freed only when tagged by a teammate.

Goal: Capturing the opposing team’s flag and bringing it to own team’s territory.

These are some of the games I’ll be teaching my grandsons this summer. What other games of our youth would you add to the list?

Lisa is a Colorado-based freelance writer. She publishes the Grandma's Briefs website, where she shares bits on life's second act and strives to smash the outdated "grandma" stereotype. Lisa has been married to the same man forever; together they have three adult daughters, one son-in-law and three adorable grandsons — children of the middle daughter and her husband. Lisa is easy to find online as she's known as GrandmasBriefs wherever she goes: Twitter (@grandmasbriefs), Facebook, Google+ and elsewhere.

Comments (10)

I used to love Red Light Green Light! It makes me sad that kids spend so much time indoors with their electronics and probably don't even know these games. Thanks for the reminder which, I hope, will spark grandparents to get outside and play with them!

Lois: That's exactly what grandparents need to do to show kids what fun these games can be — get out there and do it with them. There's nothing better than running round the yard, giggling and have a grand time with grand kids. Thank you so much for commenting! :-D

bonnieckr: FLOTUS is an excellent example of how parent and grandparents can be a great example. I appreciate you reading and commenting!

We used to play a perpetual game of "it" that we called "Gorilla". There were no safety zones and no time limits and you could tag another person "it" anywhere and any time day or night. It lead to some great disturbances (and fun) at social events with our parents, trips at local stores and even in church on Sunday mornings....Ahhh, the simple things in life !